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Binc welcomes new board members; Ingram adds two clients; Miller names imprint Flatiron Books; Rowling accepts charitable donation for identity leak

Planning is under way for the first-ever California Bookstore Day, a celebration of the written word and the culture of independent bookstores across the state, set for May 3, 2014. Last week, organizers launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds to support publicity and marketing efforts for the event. 

Lititz, Pennsylvania’s Aaron’s Books is partnering with the Linden Hall School for Girls, where it will be creating and managing a new campus store, opening August 23. 

BookBar, which opened in Denver’s arts district just two months ago, is seeing regular customers return for the books, the menu, the events, and the all-around experience of the bookstore. 

Stephanie Hochschild officially took the reins at The Book Stall at Chestnut Court in Winnetka, Illinois, on July 1, well prepared for her new role by Roberta Rubin, who guided the store to national prominence over the past 31 years.

ABA CEO Oren Teicher pays tribute to former Board member Karl Pohrt, the founder and owner of Shaman Drum Bookshop in Ann Arbor, Michigan, till its closure after 29 years, in June 2009. Pohrt died on Wednesday, July 10, of cancer at age 65.

Baker & Taylor in strategic partnership with Bookmasters; Colin Bettam named chief marketing officer at Kobo; National Book Foundation elects new board members; Leadership changes at Barnes & Noble; Amazon launches Jet City Comics imprint; SIBA and MIBA award winners announced

Utah celebrates Independents Week in a big way; Buthod named SIBA One Book at a Time organizer; Amazon’s tax affairs in U.K. deterring shoppers; LibraryReads launches this fall; Senators express concerns over Patriot Act surveillance programs; Authors lose class certification in lawsuit against Google; Hachette acquires Hyperion adult imprint; Ingram integrates Hachette Livre titles

The merger of Penguin and Random House into one company, Penguin Random House, was completed on Monday, July 1. Bertelsmann, the parent company of Random House, owns 53 percent of the new venture, and Pearson, the parent of Penguin, owns 47 percent.

Guggenheim-Lehrman Prize in Military History details announced; Silverberg leaves position as Literature Director at the National Endowment for the Arts; EBSCO eBooks now available on Ingram’s OASIS

The Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle and City Lights Books in San Francisco –– iconic bookstores known for their well-curated inventory, numerous events, exceptional service, and welcoming ambiance –– will mark milestone anniversaries next week. With celebration preparations well underway, Elliott Bay owner Peter Aaron and City Lights publicity director Stacey Lewis reflected on their respective store’s longevity.

In recent months, ABA has welcomed four new staff members, whose aim is to share their skills as well as their passion for independent bookselling with member stores. For booksellers who didn’t have the opportunity to meet them at BEA, here’s an introduction to the association’s newest employees.

Philipp Meyer has earned the number one spot on June’s Indie Next List with his bold and compelling novel The Son. Meyer recently spoke to BTW about his research process and the experiences he lived in order to write what Scott Kinberger of Books Inc. called “the best kind of historical fiction.”

Members of the ABC Children’s Group at ABA participated in Illustrator Studio Tours, sponsored by the ABC Group and the Children’s Book Council, on Wednesday, May 29, at BEA. Illustrators including You Byun, Tad Hills, Paul Hoppe, Kate Yamasaki, and Betsy and Ted Lewin welcomed booksellers into their studios.

A panel of industry experts discussed the book market at BookExpo America’s keynote, “Shaping the Future of the Book—Insight From Leaders Who Are Transforming How We Read,” on Wednesday, May 29.